## Hong Kong Hit by Record-Breaking August Rainfall, Causing Widespread Disruption **Report Provider:** Al Jazeera English **Date:** August 5, 2025 **News Topic:** Weather, Floods, Climate Change ### Key Findings and Conclusions: Hong Kong experienced its heaviest daily rainfall for August in over 140 years on August 5, 2025. The extreme weather event led to significant disruptions across the territory, including the closure of schools and courts, interruptions to hospital services, and widespread road flooding. Meteorologists link these extreme rainfall events and catastrophic flooding to climate change, highlighting the growing challenges for both Hong Kong and mainland China. ### Key Statistics and Metrics: * **Daily Rainfall:** More than **350mm (13.8 inches)** of rain was recorded by 2 PM local time on Tuesday, August 5. * **Historical Context:** This is the **highest daily rainfall for August since 1884**, marking over 140 years of record-breaking precipitation. * **Lightning Strikes:** Over **9,600 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes** were recorded between 5 AM and noon on the same day. * **Rainstorm Warnings:** This was the **fourth "black" rainstorm warning** issued in just eight days, setting a new record for the most frequent issuance of the city's highest weather alert within a single year. * **Airport Disruptions:** Airports across the region reported **cancellation rates of around 20 percent** on Tuesday. * **Typical Rainfall:** Hong Kong typically receives an annual average of **2,200mm (86.6 inches)** of rainfall, with more than half usually falling between June and August. ### Important Recommendations: * The city's Chief Secretary for Administration, Eric Chan, urged the public to **stay alert**. * Employers were advised to **consider flexible working arrangements** that prioritize employee safety. ### Significant Trends or Changes: * The frequency of the highest weather alert ("black" rainstorm warning) has broken a record, indicating a potential trend of more intense and frequent extreme weather events. ### Notable Risks or Concerns: * **Infrastructure Disruption:** Schools, courts, and hospitals were directly impacted, leading to closures and service interruptions. * **Traffic and Safety:** Serious road flooding and traffic congestion were anticipated, with speed limits lowered due to poor visibility. Cars were reported submerged in water. * **Economic Losses:** Such floods can displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses. * **Climate Change Impact:** The extreme rainfall is linked to climate change, underscoring a growing environmental concern. * **Fatalities in Neighboring Regions:** The storms followed deadly flash floods in Southern China over the weekend, which resulted in five deaths in Guangdong province and required a large-scale search operation. ### Material Financial Data: * No specific financial data related to direct economic losses from this event was provided in the excerpt, but the potential for "billions of dollars in economic losses" was mentioned as a consequence of such floods.
Hong Kong battles floods amid heaviest August rainfall since 1884
Read original at Al Jazeera English →More than 350mm (13.8 inches) of rain was recorded – the highest daily rainfall for August in over 140 years.Hong Kong has been hit with record-breaking rains that have seen schools and courts shuttered, hospitals disrupted, and roads badly flooded.More than 350mm (13.8 inches) of rain had drenched the territory by 2pm (06:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the city’s weather authorities said – the highest daily rainfall for August since 1884.
The storms follow deadly flash floods in Southern China over the weekend, which left five dead in Guangdong province and prompted a large-scale search operation involving more than 1,300 rescuers.Videos showed water cascading down steep hillsides, breaking into whitewater streams as they rushed down the many staircases linking Hong Kong’s multitiered cityscape.
Weather authorities extended their highest “black” rainstorm warning until 5pm local time (09:00 GMT).This was the fourth such warning issued in just eight days, breaking the record for the most frequent issuance of the city’s highest weather alert within a single year, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
More than 9,600 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were recorded between 5am (21:00 GMT) and noon, Hong Kong’s weather observatory said.The water had risen to ankle height outside Hong Kong’s largest hospital, as medical authorities announced they would be closing clinics across the city due to the downpour.
Meanwhile, cars were reported submerged in water.The weather service warned on Tuesday afternoon that a “persistent rainstorm will cause serious road flooding and traffic congestion”.The city’s Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan urged the public to stay alert and said employers should consider flexible working arrangements that prioritise employee safety.
Airports across the region reported cancellation rates of around 20 percent on Tuesday, according to data from Flightmaster, while speed limits were lowered due to poor visibility.Extreme rainfall and catastrophic flooding, which meteorologists link to climate change, pose mounting challenges for both Hong Kong and mainland China.
In addition to the deaths and injuries, such floods can displace thousands and threaten billions of dollars in economic losses.Hong Kong typically receives an annual average of 2,200mm (86.6 inches) of rainfall, more than half of which usually falls from June through August.
